


Brighter Than the Sun

by nbdweeb



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Aged-Up Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys In Love, Embarrassed Killua Zoldyck, Falling In Love, Killugon - Freeform, Killugon Week, M/M, Multi, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, killugon week 2020
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:16:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24010420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nbdweeb/pseuds/nbdweeb
Summary: September 1st. Today was the day. Gon had been waiting for this day for years, and the anticipation only intensified when he received his acceptance letter in the mail a few months ago. After a teary goodbye with Aunt Mito, he was finally off on his own and starting college.A freshman in college AU!
Relationships: Gon Freecs & Killua Zoldyck, Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck
Comments: 14
Kudos: 99





	1. New Places, New Faces

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by my love @gaylovepiercingtheveil to whom I am forever grateful <3

September 1st. Today was the day. Gon had been waiting for this day for years, and the anticipation only intensified when he received his acceptance letter in the mail a few months ago. After a teary goodbye with Aunt Mito, he was finally off on his own and starting college. Whale Island wasn’t that far from York New City, though Mito fervently disagreed--”Not that far?! It’s a boat, train, and bus ride away!”-- Either way, Gon had arrived safely, and as promised, he texted her to let her know. The entrance to the campus was a large and ornate iron gate, and a statue of a catbear stared down at him as he crossed the threshold of his father’s alma mater. 

Ging walked these same grounds decades before and went on to become a world renowned Archaeologist. His career was demanding and exciting, so much so that it kept him abroad most of the time. It became Gon’s dream from a very early age to follow in his father’s impossibly large footsteps, traveling the world exploring and discovering artifacts and lost civilizations. It had to be amazing if it was worth missing out on so much of his son’s life.

Suitcase in tow, he climbed the stairs leading to the administration building two at a time, and eagerly tugged on the large oak doors. Once inside, he noticed a small line forming across the lobby. A banner reading ‘Freshman Check In’ was hung above a long table on the back wall. He joined the line and waited, shifting from foot to foot as excitement coursed through him. When it was his turn to step up to the table, a petite woman with blonde pigtails came into view. She smiled warmly at him as he approached. 

“Hello! Welcome to York New University! What’s your first and last name?”

“Hello, thank you! My name is Gon Freecss.”

She sifted through some folders lined up neatly in front of her before pulling one out of a stack and handing it to him. 

“This packet has your room number and key in it, as well as a brochure of course options. You’ll want to select your classes and build your schedule online as soon as possible. You’re in Hunter dorm located just North of the library. Follow the brick walkway through the courtyard and you can’t miss it. Best of luck and welcome to YNU!” 

Before he could say anything more, the next student in line was being motioned forward, so he turned and headed out the door and to his dorm. Grass and trees decorated the space between buildings, and the walkways were buzzing with students. The biggest and oldest looking building he passed had a cool tower on the side of it, he wondered what it was and made a mental note to check it out later. 

After a while he arrived at a large, multi story brick building. Gold lettering over the entrance read ‘Hunter Dormitory’. With a deep breath, he walked inside. His room number was 405A, so he boarded the elevator, and pressed the button for the 4th floor. It let him out on the top level of the building and into a long hallway. He passed room 400, then 401, 402, 403, 404, and finally, at the very end of the hallway, 405. 

The front door creaked opened, revealing a large common room with a couch, mini fridge, tv, and a coffee table. On the far wall there was a door to the right labeled ‘A’ and one to the left labeled ‘B’ His room was pretty standard, just four white walls with a bed, desk, and dresser. It looked so plain and boring, he couldn't wait to make the space his own. He had to remember to thank Mito for reminding him to pack some decorations. There was a window by the bed overlooking a courtyard, and on the left wall was the door to the bathroom. When he stepped into the shared bathroom, he saw another door on the wall opposite his. Curious, he turned the knob and peeked inside. It opened to a room that was identical to his own. His roommate must not have arrived yet, as the room was still empty. Disappointed, he let the door fall shut with a click, and returned to his own room.

He flopped onto the bed, mind racing He was imagining what his roommate would be like, what his classes and professors would be like, what friends he would make and what clubs he would join. This had all been just a dream for so long, and now he was, finally living it. His phone buzzed in his pocket, letting him know that it was 12:45. Oh! He almost forgot! He stood in a flash, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and skipped out the door for freshman orientation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Killua was not very excited about being forced to attend a freshman orientation. Wasn’t the whole point of college to get away from people telling him what to do? Nevertheless, here he was, making his way to the small group forming under a large oak tree in the center of the campus’s main courtyard. As he approached them he noticed a tall man standing in the center of everyone and motioning for people to move as he called out. 

“Please gather around me so everyone can hear!” The man was wearing white slacks, and his dark hair was shaped into a large pompadour. When the group was settled, he spoke again. “Hello everyone, and welcome to York New University! My name’s Knuckle Bine, I’m a junior here and the RA of Hunter dorm! I’ll be your guide around campus today. It’s my job to help you guys get acclimated to your new environment, and to teach you the in’s and out’s of life here at YNU!” 

His eyes scanned the group from one end to the other, a smile on his lips. “To start, I’d like to break the ice here with an introduction game! We’ll go around the circle and introduce ourselves. When it’s your turn, tell us your name, your major if you’ve chosen one, something about yourself, and a reason you’re here at the University! I’ll go first. I’m Knuckle and my major is Pre-Veterinary Medicine. Something about myself is that I love animals! I came to college to make a career for myself that helps them!” His smile was warm as he turned to the person to his left with expectant eyes. “Now, your turn!”  
Killua did his best to focus on the petite girl who was now speaking--shit, what did she say her name was? Ponzu?--but his mind was busy rushing to think of the right thing to say for when it was his turn to speak.They were a group of complete strangers, standing together in the grass, and they were really expected to just… introduce themselves? With such weird and arbitrary questions? What was he supposed to say? This was not how he wanted to start meeting new people once he finally got away to college. 

Alright, name was easy, major was undecided so also pretty easy, if a little embarrassing. What was next? Something about himself? What? That was such a broad thing to ask! And he only had a few more people before his turn. And shit! He had not been paying attention. He glanced up to see where the next person speaking was. Okay, he had about 6 more people before it was his turn. His eyes fell on the next person, a boy about his height with spiky black hair and bright, round eyes the color of honey.

“Hello!” he waved cheerily around the semi circle, a bright smile on his face. “My name is Gon Freecss. I’m not exactly sure of my major just yet, but I’m thinking about Anthropology or maybe Environmental Biology. I’m from Whale Island and I love hiking and exploring. I’m here because this is my life’s next adventure and I’m excited to learn and make some new friends!” 

Killua thought this guy was a little overzealous, but he seemed nice enough. His green shorts cream tank top were fitted and revealed tan, muscular limbs. His gaze roamed up the boy’s body, admiring broad shoulders, a strong jaw, full lips, and then lingering on those eyes…they were warm and expressive, and... staring right back at him. Crap. He quickly turned his head away, a blush creeping across his cheeks. Welp. That was awkward. Oh shit, now there were only 2 more people before him. When it was finally his turn, he spoke quickly and avoided eye contact. 

“I’m Killua. I’m undecided and I’m here because I graduated high school and this was the next step. I guess something about me is that I like to skateboard.” He felt a rush of relief as the next person started speaking, and focused intensely on the rest of the people as they spoke so his eyes wouldn’t wander back to that boy--Gon--again. 

A few people later, and Knuckle was the one speaking. “Alright! That’s everyone. Now that we’re all acquainted, we can begin the campus tour! Follow behind me closely, and feel free to ask any questions you may have along the way!” With a bright smile, he turned on his heel and walked across the lawn. 

The tour was relatively uneventful, Killua was pretty bored most of the time. Hadn’t these people done a campus tour? His mother barely let him attend a college so far away, let alone without touring it first. The only thing keeping him occupied was occasional glimpses at Gon’s facial expressions. He was very easily amused and his face lit up with each new place they entered. Killua had never seen someone so happy and energetic before. It was almost tiring to watch, but he found himself looking up at the boy frequently. They walked through some of the classrooms, followed by the main campus administration building, a few of the degree program offices, the campus gym, and finally the cafeteria.

“Okay guys, we’ve got one stop left, but first, we’re going to break for lunch! I like to eat my lunch on the green,” he motioned to the expansive lawn they were standing on, “but you’re welcome to eat inside as well. Just make sure you meet back here in 45 minutes!” 

With that, the group dispersed. Killua, deciding he wasn’t hungry enough to venture into the cafeteria, sat down under a shady tree. He was scrolling mindlessly on his phone when he heard soft footsteps in the grass next to him. He glanced up to see who it was and his breath caught in his throat. Golden eyes were staring down at him, accompanied by an ear to ear smile.

“This seat taken?” 

“Uh, no?” Killua watched as Gon crossed his legs and plopped down in the grass next to him.

“You don’t have any food, aren’t you hungry?” Gon asked, voice tinged with concern.

“Oh, I guess I just didn’t feel like dealing with the cafeteria line.” 

Gon immediately began rifling through his backpack. He pulled out a sandwich, an apple, and a bottle of water. “Here, have some of my lunch!” He passed the apple to Killua, and offered him half of the sandwich as well. 

“No thank you, I couldn’t take your lunch from you.”

“You’re not taking it from me, I’m sharing it with you! C’mon, at least have the apple.” 

He wanted to argue, but Gon’s smile was almost a pout and his eyes were burning into him, so he quickly grabbed the apple and took a bite. Gon grinned in response and took a bite of his sandwich.

“So, your name is Killua? I’m Gon! It’s nice to meet you!”

Killua swallowed hard and ignored how his stomach flipped when Gon said his name. 

“Yeah, it’s nice to meet you too.” The two sat in comfortable silence for a bit, eating and watching the activity on the lawn around them. Gon was the first to speak. 

“So, are you from York New City?”

Killua shook his head. “My family lives on a compound in the Kukuru Mountains, a few hours North of here.”

“Oh yeah? That’s so cool! My Aunt Mito and I went on a hiking trip there a few years ago. The forest at the base of the mountains is beautiful!”

Killua raised an eyebrow. “The forest is also pretty dangerous, y’know.”

Gon chuckled. “Don’t worry, I basically grew up in nature, my survival skills are pretty good. Not that Mito would’ve let me hike off trail or as far as I wanted to anyway.”

“You said you’re from Whale Island, what’s it like there?” 

“Whale Island is beautiful. The forest there is lush and the wildlife is diverse. I spent all of my free time outside exploring alone, learning every inch of the island.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah, there weren’t many kids my age. It’s a small port town; so a great deal of the population there is people in town for business for a few weeks or months at a time. The locals are mostly older folks. There were only a few families around when I was growing up, but they all had girls. I made friends with them just fine, and with the kids that would move in and out of town. But I never really had solid friends, and never a best friend.”

Killua nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I never had any real friends either. No one I could trust or that I actually enjoyed spending time with. I got to know the kids that my parents’ business partners would regularly bring to parties, and I knew some kids at boarding school too; but most of them were boring or snobby or both. So I was alone a lot.” Killua’s gaze shifted down, his fingers nervously raked through the grass. He wasn’t sure why he was suddenly spilling his guts to a stranger, but something about Gon being so open made him want to open up as well. He could feel Gon staring at him, and when he looked up he was met with a pair of warm golden eyes, and an understanding smile. That smile made his stomach flip...again.

“Killua?”

“Yes?”

“Would you like to be friends?”

”I--w-what?” he stammered, eyes wide with surprise.

Gon didn’t waiver, his smile only grew wider. “I think you’re really cool, and I’d like to be your friend! Would you like to be mine too?” 

“Uh, s-sure. Yeah, we can be friends.” he rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to calm his embarrassment along with the excitement bubbling up inside of him. 

Gon was positively beaming. “I’m so glad! This is gonna be great!” 

Gon’s excitement was contagious, and Killua couldn’t help but smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

For the rest of their lunch break, the two talked and laughed. They were really hitting it off, and Gon was so happy to have made such a cool new friend. Killua even promised to teach him how to skateboard if he taught him how to fish! Before they knew it, Knuckle was clapping his hands and waving for everyone’s attention. 

“Okay folks, it looks like everyone’s finished eating, so it’s time to finish our tour!” He pointed to the large building behind them and motioned for them to follow. They stood and walked across the lawn towards a large brick building with a marble staircase on either side of the double door entrance. It was the building with the tower Gon noticed earlier. 

Knuckle led the group up the stairs and inside. When he spoke next, it was in a hushed tone. “Everyone, welcome to the library! This is the biggest building on campus, and where you will probably spend most of your time.The best way to learn this place is to explore it yourself, and since this is the last stop, feel free to stay as long as you like.You’re also free to go whenever you’d like. I’ll be around for a bit if you have any questions or want to chat. I hope you enjoyed the tour today and again, welcome to NYU!!” He ended with a bright smile, and the group began to disperse. 

After a chat with Knuckle, Gon went straight for the elevator to explore each floor. He asked Killua to join him, but he declined saying he had some stuff to do, so they exchanged numbers and went their separate ways. By the time he finished in the library, it was well after 5. He stopped at the cafeteria for a quick bite to eat and then headed back to his room. 

He was unpacking when he heard shuffling in the other bedroom. His roommate must be home! He went out to the common room and knocked on the other door. Gon heard some more shuffling before the door swung open to reveal a familiar face. He stared in surprise and ocean blue eyes stared right back through a frame of silver hair.


	2. The First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~ Oh my god, they were roommates ~

“G-Gon?” Killua’s mouth fell open in surprise. “What are you doing here? How did you find my room?” Gon looked so excited and he had no idea why.

“Killua!! I didn’t know this was your room! I just got home and wanted to meet my roommate!”

“Home? Wait, does that mean-” realization hit him suddenly. “Are you in 405A??”

“Yes! We’re roommates!” 

Killua stood in stunned silence for a moment, unsure of how to feel. Of all the people on campus to have as his roommate, it turned out to be Gon, the bubbly and strange boy he had ironically just been thinking about. 

“Can I see your room? I peeked in earlier when I arrived but it was empty.”

“Uh, sure” he stepped to the side, letting him into the room. “I haven’t really done anything in here yet. I got in right before orientation, so I didn’t have time to start unpacking. When I finally got back after the library I put some stuff away, but I’ve mostly just been hanging out.” Killua blushed, suddenly hyper aware of the chocolate robot wrappers on his desk, and his haphazardly arranged belongings. His suitcase was lying open on the floor beside his dresser, stacks of books were scattered across the desk and floor.

“I think it looks great already! I haven’t had the chance to unpack or decorate at all yet. Is this your favorite band?” He nodded to the crooked poster on the wall above the bed.

“One of my favorites, yeah. It’s the one playing right now.” He motioned to the bluetooth speaker sitting on the windowsill. 

Gon walked over, sat on his bed, and began bobbing his head to the music.  
“They’re really good! You’ve got nice taste in music.” 

Killua chuckled, “This is only one song! I like a bunch of different stuff, there’s a lot to listen to.”

“Well, you’ve got the whole school year to show me!” 

His smile was warm and real and it shook Killua up quite a bit. No one had ever really shown interest in the things he enjoyed before, but here was someone he had just met, genuinely excited to be listening to underground rock with him. 

They hung out while Killua finished unpacking his suitcase and getting settled. After that, Gon wandered back to his own room to start his unpacking and when he did Killua followed and this time Gon played the music. His taste was a little weird, and mostly pop, but Killua didn’t mind. He was enjoying the view as Gon danced around his room, tossing clothes into his dresser and arranging trinkets on his desk.When he went to the bathroom to unpack his toiletries, Killua stood over the desk, checking out all of the small momentos Gon felt were important enough to bring with him to college. Among them was a few seashells, a green ring, and a fishing hook in a small glass jar. A photo in a blue frame near the corner of the desk caught his eye, and he leaned in for a closer look. Gon, wearing a graduation cap and gown, was facing the camera, eyes squinted with a beaming smile on his face. One arm held his diploma in the air, while the other was wrapped around a teary eyed woman. Her head came up to his shoulder, and where her hazel eyes and orange hair bore no resemblance to him, her warm and genuine smile was a spitting image. She must be-

“That’s my Aunt Mito!” Gon chirped, eyes lighting up as he walked over to where Killua was standing. “She burst into tears right after this picture was taken. I know she was proud and happy for me, but I’m pretty sure she was really sad that day. Mostly worried about the future, I think.” His face fell a bit. “She knows I want to follow in my dad’s footsteps, and since he’s so busy and always overseas I think she’s worried I’ll just leave and never come back.” 

“What does your dad do?”

“He’s an archaeologist.”

“Wow, that’s so cool!”

“Yeah, that’s why I want to see for myself! If his job is so amazing that it was worth missing out on my life and Mito-san’s life, then I want to know what it’s like!”

Killua felt kind of bad hearing that. He knew what it was like to have a dad ditch you for work, but at the same time, his parents were also very involved with his life. Suffocatingly so. They had appearances to uphold, afterall. His parents were far from perfect and even farther from pleasant, but he still couldn’t imagine one or both of them just leaving and not returning. Plus, what would Gon do if he finally got the job and it wasn’t as amazing as his dad made it seem? Killua knew from experience that hope usually just led to disappointment. 

He pulled out the desk chair and swung his leg over it, nestling backwards in the seat, his arms folded across the top rail of the chair, and his chin resting on top of them. “So what’s your dad like?” 

Gon sat on his bed across from Killua and was lost in thought for a moment. “Well, I’ve only really seen him a few times in my life. . His name is Ging. Ging Freecss. He’s pretty rough around the edges, but well respected. He’s famous in parts of the world for his finds and research. I don’t know much else, except a few stories Mito-san has told me from when they were kids on Whale Island together. She says I’m a lot like him though. ” He shrugged, “By her tone of voice, I can never tell if she means that as a good or bad thing.” 

Killua surprised himself when he spoke, “Whether you're like Ging or not, and whether that’s good or bad doesn't really matter. You’re you. And for what it’s worth, I think you’re pretty cool.” 

They locked eyes and a huge smile broke out on Gon’s face. 

“Thanks, Killua. I think you’re really cool too! I’m glad we’re roommates!”

Killua just grumbled a bit in response, his mouth set in an awkward smile. Gon must enjoy embarrassing him. 

They slipped into a comfortable silence after that, music still playing softly through the room as Gon continued organizing his stuff and Killua scrolled on his phone. After a while Gon let out a huge yawn and decided it was time to call it a night. They were both mostly unpacked, and even though classes didn’t start for two more days, he wanted to get up early to explore the campus some more. Yawning himself, Killua followed suit and once behind his closed door, stripped to his boxers and flopped onto the bed. Staring up at the ceiling, his mind began to drift.

It had been a hell of a day. Aside from his text letting them know he arrived safely, he hadn’t spoken to his parents at all. Where this wasn’t different from the norm--they were usually too tied up with work and social ladder climbing to give him much attention--it was still nice to have space from them and his life back home. He’d been so excited for the freedom college was going to provide him. Freedom from the claustrophobic walls of the Zoldyck estate, from his siblings, and best of all, freedom from his parent’s cold judgement. He was finally able to live his life without them breathing down his neck and criticizing his every move. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life, but he was so happy to finally have the space to explore and figure it all out. 

The only thing he was really worried about when he left for college was who his roommate would be, and he was pretty relieved to have Gon. They’d barely known each other a day, but he had the feeling that living with him was going to be a good time. He’d never met someone so… open and warm. His joy was almost contagious, it was a nice contrast and welcome change from his family and all of his old boarding school roommates. For the first time in a long time, he fell asleep excited for what the future would hold.

~~~~~~~~

The next two days were a blur of course catalogues and video games with his roommate, and before he knew it, Gon found himself on the way to his first college class, Biology 101. He was practically skipping down the brick walkway and, thanks to all of his previous exploring, he was able to find the classroom with no issue. He snagged a spot towards the front by a window, and as he sat, noticed a neatly bound packet lying face down on the desk. He was curious, but resisted the urge to flip it over, choosing instead to check out his surroundings. There were a few other students scattered at the tables around the room, and a short woman with green hair stood at the front. He watched as she carefully wrote in neat and swoopy cursive across the white board.  
Dr. C. Yorkshire  
Adjunct Professor  
Biology 101  
Fall Term  
Class A 

So she was the professor, Dr. Cheadle. She looked put together and kind, but he’d be lying if he said her calm demeanor was enough to soothe his nerves. School was never really his thing, he much preferred to be outside learning with his hands and on his feet, and his grades usually reflected the trouble he had with studying. His teachers in the past had always been nice enough, but he hated disappointing them with his test scores, and he wanted college to be different. He wanted to put his best foot forward with his new life and really prove himself. He was determined to give it his all. 

A few more people shuffled in and filled the open desks, and when the wall clock marked the top of the hour, the professor turned to face the class and cleared her throat. 

“Good morning everyone, and welcome to Biology 101. I’m Dr. Cheadle Yorkshire and I’ll be your professor. As you should know, this class is accompanied by a mandatory lab that will meet once a week. You’ll all be partnered off and expected to work together for the lab as well as in class activities.” Her eyes scanned the room, mouth set in a stern smile. “To kick things off, I’d like everyone to turn over the packet in front of you. This is a copy of your class syllabus, I took the liberty of binding them for you, as you’ll be referencing it throughout the entire semester. It contains all of the information you’ll need to be successful in this class, including classroom policies, expectations, assignments, required reading, my office hours, and more!” 

Gon held the syllabus in his hand and was staring at it like it was made of gold. Everything he needed to do well in this class? It was like he’d been handed a treasure. 

“Now, I’ll call out the lab pairings, and you can find your partner and arrange your seating accordingly, then we can begin our first activity!”

When Gon’s name was finally called along with his partner’s, he was giddy with anticipation and just as he stood to scan the crowd for his partner, a blue satchel dropped down on the table and a tall boy sunk down into the seat next to his. His blonde hair framed his face and hung just above his shoulders, his smile was tight but genuine as he held a hand out to Gon.  
“I’m Kurapika, nice to meet you, partner.”  
Gon shook it and chirped back “I’m Gon! Nice to meet you too!”  
They sat in silence while Cheadle finished calling out the rest of the pairs. When everyone was settled, she addressed the class.

“Alright, now that everybody is paired off, we can begin today’s activity! In order to get to know your syllabus and your lab partner, I’ve created a scavenger hunt! Simply peruse your syllabus and use what you read to answer the questions on this handout!” She waved a stack of papers in the air and with a proud smile on her face, began handing them out. “You can begin as soon as you get your worksheet and you are dismissed whenever you finish!”

When their worksheets were placed in front of them, Kurapika turned in his chair to face Gon.  
“Well, I suppose we better get started, eh? We can both read through the syllabus and then answer the questions together, does that sound good to you?”

“Sure!” Gon nodded in response and they got started. He was a little overwhelmed with the amount of information on the syllabus. It was pretty stressful seeing an entire semester of work listed out like that. He was excited for the lab though, all of those assignments seemed pretty hands on and a few of them were even supposed to be done outside. Maybe this class wouldn’t be so bad afterall. After a few minutes, they began answering the questions together. It wasn’t too tough to find the answers, and with two people it went by pretty quickly. Gon didn’t want the whole class to pass without getting to know his lab partner though, so he tried to strike up a conversation between questions. 

“So, Kurapika, what’s your major? Are you a freshman here too?”

Kurapika didn’t look up from the worksheet when he answered. “I’m not a freshman, but I am new. I’m a sophomore and I transferred here this year. I’m double majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice.” He glanced up and over at Gon. “What about you? Have you decided on a major yet?”

“I have! Well, kinda. I’m considering Anthropology or maybe Environmental Biology. Still trying to figure out which would be best, but I don’t think I could handle double majoring like you. Your majors sound really great! What do you want to do with your degree?”

“I want to become a detective, I’m still deciding between public and private.” He scribbled something on his paper. “The answer to number 12 is ‘Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5pm’ by the way. Three more and we’re finished.” 

Gon was hastily writing in the answer when Kurapika asked,  
“What do you want to do when you get your degree?”

“I want to become an archaeologist, like my dad! Or possibly a similar job within the field.” He perked up when he noticed that Kurapika had put down his worksheet and turned his focus to their conversation instead.  
“So you're a transfer student, how do you like it here so far? Where did you transfer from, and what made you leave?”

“Woah Gon, you’ve almost got more questions than the assignment.” Kurapika chuckled but still pressed on. “So far it’s fine, but I’ve only been here for 3 days so we’ll see how it goes. I transferred here from Meteor City Community College, but I never really wanted to go there in the first place. This was my first choice school, but I wasn’t able to move here last year because of some family stuff. This year I was able to, so I did. And how are you liking it here? What made you choose YNU?”

“It’s my dad’s alma mater, so it was an easy choice. So far I’m really liking it! I was a little nervous before I got here, but everything has been pretty awesome. I’ve gotten to know and love the campus already, and I’ve got a great roommate too! Plus, my first class is going well! And that’s what I was the most nervous about.” 

“It’s good that you like your roommate. That can cause a lot of trouble for some. It definitely did at my last school, so that’s actually what I was most worried about here.”

“I’m sorry you had trouble last year, but is your new roommate nice I hope?” 

“Well, I actually lucked out and got a suite to myself. I requested one when I filled out the transfer paperwork, and told them about my last experience. I wasn't counting on it to work out in my favor too much, but it did.”

“I’m glad it did!”

“And I’m glad you’re feeling better about your classes now that you’ve got one under your belt.” He slid his worksheet over with a pale slender hand, the last three answers were written out neatly.

Gon quickly jotted them down and slid the paper back to Kurapika. “Thank you!”

“No problem, it was a team effort after all.” He smiled as he slung his satchel over his shoulder and stood up to turn in his paper, Gon grabbed his backpack and followed behind him. 

After they handed her the worksheets, Dr. Yorkshire complimented their effort and teamwork, and dismissed them for the day. They were in the hallway and Kurapika was waving goodbye when Gon spoke again. 

“Kurapika, do you wanna grab lunch sometime? I know we’re just lab partners, but you seem really cool and I’d like to be friends!”

Kurapika looked puzzled for a moment but his voice was soft and sincere when he spoke. “I’d like that, Gon.”  
With that, they exchanged numbers and went their separate ways. 

The rest of the day breezed by, and Gon was pretty much on cloud 9. He was excited about his classes, and even more excited about the people he met in each one. He had lunch scheduled with Kurapika for later on that week, and he decided to check out some of the clubs a few of his new friends suggested to him throughout the week as well. It was going to be a great year! He texted Killua and they decided to meet up for dinner in the cafeteria, so he headed that way after his last class.

When he arrived, he scanned the room until a crop of silver hair caught his eye at a small table by the dessert station in the far corner. He made his way over and plopped into the seat across from Killua, who was surrounded by plates of different desserts.

“Gon, the dessert bar is amazing. You’ve gotta try the chocolate cake, and there’s cookies too!”

“It looks great! I’m gonna go grab some, and maybe some regular food too!” He stuck his tongue out teasingly, Killua just rolled his eyes in response. 

“Have you been here long?”

“Nah, I got here a few minutes before you. I just headed straight for the dessert.” 

Gon laughed out loud. Dessert for dinner, Mito would’ve killed him. College really was a different world. “Do you want me to grab something else for you while I’m up?”

“Eh. I’m fine for now, might grab some pizza or something in a bit.” 

Gon nodded and left to make his plate. When he returned, Killua was scrolling on his phone, fork in hand hanging lazily at his mouth. 

His stomach growled and he quickly twirled a bite of spaghetti around his fork. The day was so eventful he hadn’t even realized he was hungry. 

“So, how were your classes? Did you like your professors?” he asked, shoving the huge bite of pasta into his mouth. 

Killua put his phone down and draped his arm over the back of his chair. “They all seem pretty boring, but I’m mostly getting gen ed classes out of the way for now, until I decide what I wanna major in, so that’s probably why. I don’t even remember any of the professors’ names, so that answers that question I guess,” He shoveled another bite of cake into his mouth, “What about you?”

“They all seemed nice enough, but I think I liked Professor Satotz in Anthropology the best. He seems interesting, so I’m excited to see how that class goes. Did you make any new friends?”

Killua quirked an eyebrow at him. “Uh, no. Did you?”

“I did! A few people, and I actually have plans to hang out with one of them! I’m gonna check out some clubs here too, I can definitely make some new friends there! And you’ve gotta come with me Killua! We can check them out together!” As he spoke he was practically buzzing with excitement.

“What clubs are you going to?” Killua asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Well, There’s a bunch of them to choose from, but the Great Outdoors Club, the GSA, and the Ultimate Frisbee Club were all recommended to me, so I’m gonna start with them I think.”

“GSA?”

“It stands for Gay Straight Alliance.”

Killua almost choked on his last bite of cake. “O-oh. Right. Why are you going to that one? Are you... gay?”

Gon’s face scrunched up a bit, his gaze suddenly intense.

“Not that there’s anything wrong with that if you are!” Killua backpedaled. “Just asking!”

“Yeah, I’m just thinking about it. I guess I don't know? I was gonna check it out ‘cause I liked the idea of an alliance, and I wanted to go to show support I guess, but hey, maybe the club will help me figure it out!”

Killua’s cheeks were tinged pink. “You don’t know? Haven’t you ever gone on a date or to a school dance or something before?”

“Well, I’ve gone on dates with girls before, never with any boys though.” He rested his chin on his hand. “To be honest, I’m just not sure. I guess now I’m pretty excited to see what I learn from this club!” His eyes squinted up in a bright smile.  
“You should come with me when I go! It’s for everyone to come together, so I don’t think it even matters if you’re gay or not anyways.” 

“Yeah, maybe, we’ll see.” He awkwardly rubbed at the back of his neck. “ I’m gonna go grab some food, be right back.” He stacked his dirty plates and quickly shuffled off.

Gon leaned back in his chair and rubbed his full belly. He looked around the cafeteria, already starting to recognize people from his classes amongst the crowds at tables and in line at food stations. His first day was really amazing and if this was what the year was going to be like, he was so ready for it. 

~~~~~~~~

After wandering between the different food stations for a few minutes, Killua finally returned to the table with a plate of spaghetti and some soda. The food on campus was actually pretty good, so that was a plus. It was almost good enough to distract him from the nagging questions that the mention of the GSA brought up. Almost. 

He really hadn’t thought too much about his own sexuality, or sexuality in general. He’d never even gone out with anyone before. Well, there was the one time he agreed to go to the winter formal with a girl he knew, but that night was a disaster and he only went because his brother had been giving him shit about his social life.

It’s not like he never found anyone attractive before. But now that he thought about it, most of the time when someone in a crowd caught his eye, they happened to be a boy. Like at orientation just a few days ago... But what did that say about his sexuality? How did anyone actually know if they were gay or straight or whatever? And what would you even do with that information once you managed to figure it out? 

“Killua?” 

“Eh?” The sound of Gon’s voice snapped him back to reality and when he looked up he was met with a pair of honey eyes burning into him. 

“What?” He gulped. Had Gon been sitting this close to him the whole time?

“I asked if you were ready to go.”

“Oh, yeah, sure.” 

They grabbed their bags and began the trek back to their dorm. The cool night air was a welcome relief from the blush that spread across his face and up his neck.


	3. Questioning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A thunderstorm and existential thoughts keep the boys awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's super special to me, sweet bby Killu <3

Gon tossed in bed as a clap of thunder echoed in the air outside his dorm. It hadn’t woken him up--he hadn’t actually fallen asleep yet--but it was enough to shake the window in its frame. A few seconds later and his room was illuminated by a flash as lightning ripped across the sky. He counted in his head ‘1, 2, 3, 4, 5’... another thunderclap, another flash. Huh, so the storm was about a mile away then. He knew this was coming, the signs had been showing the last few days. Birds were flying low yesterday and there was a ring around the moon that night. He could smell it in the air as well. He was grateful it waited until Friday night to finally hit. It meant he could have a nice rainy Saturday indoors with no classes to interrupt. Another crack of thunder and lightning, and the rain finally started. He settled on his back and listened to the heavy pitter patter against the roof.

The room was dark aside from the dim blue light of the street lamp outside the window. It illuminated the rain flowing down the glass, casting fluid shadows that danced across the floor. He laid awake watching them, mind wandering.Usually when it stormed, it brought him a sense of calm and peace. On nights like these he slept like a rock; but for some reason, tonight he couldn’t seem to sleep at all. Maybe it was because this was his first stormy night spent away from Whale Island. He’d definitely been feeling the differences that living in a city made in his daily life. Maybe he was a little homesick, and maybe the storm was just making that feeling grow. 

He glanced up at the desk across the room. The bright red digits of his alarm clock glared back at him, letting him know it was well past 1am. Just as he moved to bury his face in his pillow, he heard a thud followed by some rustling on the other side of his bedroom door. Eager for a distraction from his own restlessness, he kicked his blanket aside and snuck out to the common room. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find, but Killua on the floor scrambling to scoop chips back into a bowl was not it. 

~~~~~~~~

After about two hours of tossing and turning in bed, Killua found himself in the common room, rolled up in a blanket on the couch with a bowl of cheese puffs and a baking show playing on the tv. 

He was having trouble sleeping, which wasn’t really new, per se, but the thoughts running through his mind and keeping him from sleep certainly were. Earlier that day was the first meeting for the GSA, and Gon convinced him to go. Not that it took too much effort, Killua had been curious about it weeks ago when Gon first mentioned it. 

The meeting was a little over an hour long, and Killua was on edge for most of that hour. There were a bunch of people there, all of them were kind and welcoming, but it was still a bit overwhelming. He wasn’t even sure if he should be there in the first place. 

They all introduced themselves with their name, pronouns, and sexuality if they were comfortable sharing. Killua waited with baited breath until it was his turn, then he quickly declared “Killua, he/him” and turned to Gon to pass the spotlight, who was carefree and confident when he spoke. ”I’m Gon! I didn’t really know what pronouns were before now, but mine are he/him! And I don’t know what to say about my sexualty, I’m here to hopefully figure it out!” 

Killua was amazed the whole time at how easily Gon fit into the group, like they’d all been friends for years. He was starting to learn that that’s just how Gon was. He was comfortable with everyone he met and he navigated life with a confidence that stemmed from his own optimism. 

Killua spent most of the time quietly observing. The group leaders talked about what it felt like for them when they realized they were queer. A few told their coming out stories, some of acceptance and some of isolation. They talked about the spectrum of sexuality and what each letter in the acronym was. Killua, who had entered the meeting assuming he was just going to be an ally, left that afternoon with the burning letter Q in his mind.

Questioning. Something about that word felt so comfortable to him. It felt like a word he could sit with for a while. Under the umbrella of questioning, he had the space to think about all the new perspectives he received during the meeting. 

He assumed he was just an ally, but when he heard about all the things you could be besides straight… Ally didn’t feel like it really fit. And that was because straight definitely didn't feel like fit him anymore. To be honest, looking back, he wasn’t sure if it ever really fit him in the first place. But straight was what he always was, wasn’t it? It was never really something that got talked about directly, but it was always assumed. He’d only ever been asked about girlfriends, or girl crushes growing up. He’d been called a lady’s man by his parents’ friends, and he was always told he’d make a nice young lady very happy one day. It started to feel like being straight was kind of...expected of him? He never realized there was any other way to be. 

But as overwhelmed as he was with the suffocating straightness, he was equally overwhelmed by the world of queerness that he had no experience with. 

Straight didn’t feel right--and that was scary in and of itself--but he also wasn’t ready to declare himself as gay or bi or pan or any of the other letters. He just… wasn’t sure yet. So he was Questioning. 

And boy was he questioning. 

Everything.

What did this mean? Would he have to come out to his family if he decided he was gay? Or bi? Should he tell them now that he was questioning? Or wait until he figured it out 100%? When would that happen? 

He couldn’t imagine his family being too cool about it, not that they were cool about much to begin with. When did he start caring about what they think anyways? He’d gotten piercings, dyed and cut his hair, snuck out, and done pretty much anything to piss them off and free himself just a little bit. If being gay pissed them off, he shouldn’t care! But would he? Wait, when did he decide he was gay? He wasn’t! Was he?

His phone buzzing on the couch next to him snapped him out of his thoughts, and he jerked in surprise, sending his snack flying. He hissed as the bowl clattered onto the floor, spilling cheese puffs everywhere.

He was on his knees scooping them back into the bowl frantically with his hands when he heard a door creak open. Before he could react, Gon was standing over him, a strange smile on his face. 

“Want some help?”

“Oh, no thanks I’ve got it.” He threw the last puff back into the bowl and dumped them all into the trash. “Sorry if the bowl dropping woke you up.”

“It’s okay, it didn’t wake me up, I couldn’t sleep anyways.” 

“Did the storm scare you or something?”

“No, ” his brow was furrowed and his lips formed a small pout. “I usually sleep well on stormy nights. I don’t know why I’m so awake right now. I was thinking maybe I’m homesick.”

“Ah” Killua flopped onto the couch, pouring more chips into the bowl. 

“Is that why you’re awake? The storm scared you?”

He scoffed. “No, I just have a lot on my mind, I guess.”

“Can I join you?”

“Uh, yeah, sure”

He made room on the couch and Gon sat down next to him. When he started tugging at the blanket, Killua just stared in confusion. He kept tugging until, finally understanding, Killua pulled the blanket off of himself and spread it over the both of them. Gon scooted in closer and let out a contented sigh. Their arms and thighs were touching, and Killua was doing his best to remain calm. Were they supposed to be sitting this close? Gon was always kinda touchy feely, and Killua had never really had friends like this before, was this just what friends did? They were watching tv, that was normal. Was he just overthinking? 

“So, what’s on your mind, Killua?”

He almost jumped out of his skin. “I..uh, what?”

“You said you had a lot on your mind, and if it was keeping you from sleep I thought you might wanna talk about it.”

“Oh, no... I’m okay, just thinking about school stuff, yknow, homework and whatever.”

Gon just chuckled in response.

“What’s so funny?” he huffed.

“Nothing, it’s just that you’re a terrible liar.”

Killua’s mouth fell open in surprise.

“I am not! I-”

“It’s okay, we don’t have to talk about whatever is bothering you.” He reached for another cheesepuff from the bowl in Killua’s lap. “It’s also okay if you’re scared of storms.” He smiled as he pushed the chip into his mouth.

“I’m not scared, Gon. Just couldn’t sleep. Seriously.” 

“Okay, Killu, whatever you say. You know, storms used to scare me when I was younger. Mito-san always calmed me down with herbal tea and sometimes she’d sing to me. Did your parents ever do anything to help soothe you on stormy nights?”

“Well, no, not really. Not that storms ever scared me,” he side-eyed Gon, “but they’re not really the comforting type so it wouldn’t matter anyway.” 

“Oh?” Gon’s eyes were wide, not with judgement, but with genuine curiosity. “What are your parents like then? Tell me about them.”

Killua sighed. ”They weren’t really around much. Though I don’t think it’s because their jobs are super cool.“ Gon laughed and he pressed on. 

“My dad is a criminal defense lawyer, just like his dad before him and his dad before him. My mom’s a criminal psychologist, so they make a great team. They both went to fancy colleges and come from rich families. All they really care about is maintaining social standing and images, and the family name, and of course money. They throw a lot of parties and dinners for clients and their colleagues, so I spent a ton of my life, including most holidays, stuffed into a stiff penguin suit with a fake smile speaking only when spoken to and never about what was actually on my mind.”

Gon frowned, his eyes were intense and urged him to continue. 

“They’re only ever involved with my life when they’re trying to control it. I had to fight with them for months to let me go to a college so far from home. They wanted me to go to my father’s alma mater and get a law degree and eventually run the firm with my older brother,” he rolled his eyes. “But they’ve never once asked me what I want to do, or how I want to live.”

“What do you want to do?”

Killua blinked in surprise. “I, uh… well, I’m not really sure yet,” he dropped his head, staring at the bowl in his lap, “I really don’t know. But I want the freedom to figure it out for myself. Without their pressure or judgement.”

“That’s more than fair. You’re your own person, you should be able to make your own decisions!” Gon’s brow was furrowed, his mouth set in a tight line, clearly upset with what he’d just heard. Killua couldn’t help but smile; it was nice to have someone on his side for once. 

“How did you get them to let you come here?”

“I told them if they didn’t let me pick where I went, I wouldn’t go at all.” A devious smile spread on his face at the memory of his mother crying and father standing stone faced with his arm crossed as he held up his acceptance letter. 

Gon giggled. “What a power move! Were you being serious? Or bluffing?”

“Well, I just kinda went for it during an argument with them and then stuck to my guns when they pushed it further. I hadn’t really thought about whether or not they would actually agree to my terms. If they’d said no I guess I would’ve taken a year off or something to piss them off, and see if that changed their mind. Luckily, they went with it, and they’ve been pretty quiet since I left. I imagine when semester grades start coming out they’ll be calling. They’ll probably also be on my ass when they find out I haven’t declared a law major yet. Or any major for that matter.”

“You should take all the time you need! It’s okay to not have everything figured out just yet.”

Killua looked at Gon for a moment. His amber eyes were burning into him, full of care and concern. Killua felt so seen and it was...really nice, actually. His heartbeat speeding up was kind of annoying, though.

“Yeah, thanks. Hopefully I figure something out soon though, I think it’ll be easier to tell them I’m not pursuing law if I actually have an alternative to present them with.”

“That makes sense. I still think you should be able to take all the time you need to decide. It’s only fair.” 

Killua swallowed nervously around the lump in his throat. Those words held so much weight. He certainly had a lot to think about and decide for himself, and not just what his major would be. Time sounded like exactly what he needed. “Thanks Gon.”

“Of course Killua! I’m your friend, and I support you, even if your parents don’t.” He smiled at Killua and then looked away, his face suddenly falling. “You know, it’s funny, you came to college to make your own life away from your parents, and I came to college to get closer to my dad and to shape my life to be like his. Makes me wonder if I'm doing the right thing. It hurt that he wasn't around and I guess that's why I want to follow in his footsteps. I just...I want it to be so great that I understand why it was worth leaving me.”

Killua had no idea what to say, but before he could figure it out, Gon was speaking again, his expression back to normal.

“You mentioned your brother, what’s he like? Is he supportive? Is he happy following in your father’s footsteps?”

He let out a bitter laugh. “Illumi does whatever he’s told, and he doesn’t complain. They like to bring him up a lot when I’m going against their wishes. He’s their perfect son, and life would be easier for all of us if I were more like him. He doesn’t support me or whatever, but to be fair, I don’t talk to him much, so he doesn’t really get the chance to anyway.”

“Is he your only sibling?”

“No, there’s actually five of us. Illumi, Milluki, Me, Kalluto, and Alluka.”

“Wow, that’s so many! I’m an only child, I always wanted siblings growing up.”

“Heh, that’s funny, growing up I always wanted to be an only child.” He laughed, Gon did too, though he looked a bit concerned. 

“Alluka is really the only one I can talk to and spend time with.She still listens to mom and dad, she’s younger than me and still under their thumb, but she’s smart and down to earth. She sees through their bullshit and doesn’t buy into the life they push on us. Kalluto is up mom’s ass, and Illumi is up dad’s, and Milluki only cares about their money and his stupid tech start up. So it’s nice to not be alone against them, she always looks out for me, and I do the same for her.” 

“I’m glad you have each other! I hate the thought of you all alone against your whole family. Even though I’m sure you could handle it, it’s nice to have someone on your side.” 

Killua’s heart flipped in his chest. Ugh, why does that keep happening?  
“Yeah, I’m glad we have each other too. I worry about her now that I’m so far away though. I know she can handle herself, but my parents are the worst, and I was always the buffer.”

Gon looked...angry? But he didn’t say anything immediately. He seemed to be mulling things over. “I don’t mean any offense, but your parents sound really mean.”

“I mean, they’re not nice by any stretch, but they don’t hit us or anything. Controlling and judgemental for sure, but it’s mostly cold indifference.” 

Gon paused, turning his head to look directly into his eyes. Killua gulped. 

“Just because your family didn’t give you much attention or show you kindness and affection, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve those things!” he emphasized his point by squeezing Killua’s hand under the blanket.

Killua’s cheeks were suddenly on fire, no doubt turning bright pink, and he was grateful the only light in the room was from the tv.  
“Thanks, Gon.”  
He didn’t have the nerve to squeeze back, he also didn’t quite expect the twinge of disappointment he felt when Gon let go of his hand. 

After that, they fell into a comfortable silence, the storm was still raging on outside, the bowl of cheese puffs now laid discarded on the floor, and the baking show they’d been watching was entering the semi final. Gon let out a long yawn, stretching his limbs and leaning into Killua’s side. 

His proximity fried his brain. He was trying his best to relax, but he felt stiff from head to toe with anxiety. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Gon close to him, it was just so new. When he felt Gon’s head fall onto his shoulder and rest there, he thought his heart was going to beat out of his chest. He was suddenly aware of his breathing and every move he made. He didn’t want to move or do anything to disturb Gon, so he decided the best course of action was to just relax. He focused on calming his breathing, and after a while his heartbeat was a little less frantic, and his body a little less tense. 

He wasn’t used to this. Not just the cuddling, but the soft touches on his arm when they spoke sometimes, the hand on his shoulder when Gon was laughing extra hard, or the high fives and sometimes hugs when Gon was excited... It all felt so foreign. But still, as strange as it was to him, he couldn’t help but lean into it. Gon’s gravitational pull was seemingly inescapable. 

In this moment, with Gon laying against him, head on his shoulder, it actually felt kind of... nice to be close to someone. He was warm and cozy as their body heat mingled under the blanket, and Gon was soft and solid against him. It was comforting in a way he’d never experienced, and couldn’t quite describe. When he actually let himself enjoy the affection instead of overthinking it, it felt pretty amazing. Without even realizing, he slowly began to let his guard down. 

With Gon next to him he was actually distracted from his anxiety thoughts long enough for sleep to creep it’s way in. He felt so secure and comfortable, and it made him a little angry that he was falling asleep, he didn’t want this moment to end. When his eyelids started to feel heavy he knew he couldn’t fight it anymore.

He whispered, “Gon, I’m getting pretty tired, I think I’m gonna head to bed.”

No response. 

He tried a little louder this time, “Gon?”

Nothing. 

He slowly craned his neck to the side and saw that Gon’s face was slack, and his eyes were closed. He was asleep. His first thought was to gently wake him up so they could head their separate ways and go to bed. But when he tried to move, he just didn’t have it in him. His second thought was that maybe it would be okay to just let himself fall asleep. To let himself fall into the warmth and comfort of the moment, and to let his head gently rest against Gon’s as he drifted to sleep. And so he did.


	4. Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Halloween! And the only thing scarier than that is the concept of intimacy! For Killua, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends, I hope you enjoy! <3

It was his last class of the day, and Gon was trying desperately to pay attention. He was staring out the window when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out discreetly and checked the screen under the cover of his notebook, he had a text from Knuckle.

**_Halloween party at my place tonight! Costumes encouraged!_ **

Halloween? He couldn’t believe he forgot it was today! He’d spent the last few years just helping Mito pass out candy to trick or treaters, so it must’ve slipped his mind when she wasn’t there to remind him. He quickly typed out a response.

**_I’ll be there! Can I bring a plus one?_ **

His phone buzzed just as his professor dismissed the class. 

**_The more the merrier!_ **

He packed his backpack and hurried home. When he opened the door he was greeted with a “Yo” from Killua who was sprawled across the couch, chocolate robot in hand, and a movie playing on the tv.

“Hey! Knuckle invited me to a party tonight, wanna come?” 

“I don’t think so Gon.”

“But Killua, it’s Halloween! Don’t you wanna celebrate??”

“I am celebrating. I’m watching scary movies and eating candy.”

“We do that all the time!”

“Exactly. It’s a time honored tradition. Plus, candy is what Halloween is all about.”

“Killuaaaaaa! Please, it’ll be so fun!”

“Parties aren’t really my thing, Gon.”

“It’s not gonna be like those boring parties your parents throw. We’ll get to wear costumes!!”

“That’s just another reason for me to stay home. I don’t have a costume.”

“Neither do I! I was just gonna make one with stuff that I already have. It’s what I used to do growing up.”

“I don’t know Gon…”

“Come with me, just for a little while! If you hate it, you can always leave early! I don’t think I’ll stay the whole time anyway.” 

He flashed his best puppy eyes. “Please?”

“Ugh. Fine! I’ll go for a little while. But if it’s lame I’m leaving!”

Gon let out a cheer and grabbed Killua’s hand. “Come on! We’ve gotta figure out our costumes!”

An hour and several rolls of toilet paper later, and Gon stepped out of the bathroom and into Killua’s room. “Look Kill, I’m a mummy!” 

Killua turned around and Gon’s jaw dropped. Black liner rimmed his ocean eyes and a silver hoop glinted on his lower lip, matching the studs lined along the cartilage of his ear. The leather tank top he wore clung to his figure showing off muscular arms, and his knees peeked through rips in skin tight black jeans. A spiked choker wrapped snugly around his neck, and a chain hung at his hip.

“Killua, you-you look…” he trailed off, eyes roving his friend’s slender form. He looked _good._

“I know it’s not a real costume like what you did, but I didn’t really know what else to do, so I just put on what I wear to concerts. Figured I could say I’m dressed as a band member or something.” Killua’s gaze dropped to the ground, a faint blush spread across his cheeks.

“No, Killua, you look amazing! Seriously, it’s a great costume!” He couldn't take his eyes off him. “You look so good, I almost feel silly. I’m covered in toilet paper.” He gestured to himself and giggled, hoping it would put Killua at ease.

“I think your costume looks great, Gon.” He said with a smile. 

“Well now that we’re both all dressed up, are you ready to head out?”

He slipped a jean jacket on. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

With that, they headed out the door to Knuckle’s place.

~~~~~~~~

The party was well underway when they arrived. Gon immediately ran up to Knuckle and began chatting. Killua stayed by his side for a bit, following him as he bounced from person to person chatting and laughing. He was getting tired of the introductions and small talk, so he decided to give Gon some space to enjoy himself.

The room was dim, orange and purple string lights lined the walls with fake cobwebs stretched out along with them. Large plastic bats and spiders hung from the ceiling, and a bowl of glowsticks sat by the front door for partygoers to take as they pleased. Speakers hung in each corner of the room, the low thump of the music wafted through the air, Killua found it soothing. 

As he ambled around the room, he recognized people from some of his classes. A few of them smiled and waved, some just nodded their heads in acknowledgement as he passed. The music was pretty nice, if a little loud, and there was plenty of candy, so that was good. He wasn’t having a terrible time like he originally predicted, but he did feel a little out of place, and was starting to feel restless. 

He made his way to the back wall, finding an empty spot to stand by the snack table. He was deciding between distracting himself with his phone and heading outside for some air when he heard a voice behind him.

“Parties aren’t really my thing either.”

He snapped his head over his shoulder to find a tall, lanky man making himself a drink. His long burgundy hair was tied up in a side ponytail, revealing high cheekbones and smooth porcelain skin.

“I’ve seen you around before. Killua, right? You’re Gon’s friend?”

He nodded slowly in response, heat suddenly rising up the back of his neck.

“It’s a pretty small campus. Good to officially meet you, the name’s Shoot.” He extended a hand which Killua tentatively shook. 

“Y’know, you look kinda nervous, want a drink?” 

“Uh,yeah, sure.” Maybe drinking would help ease his nerves and make the party more fun. He watched quietly as Shoot poured some soda and liquor into a red cup before handing it to him. 

“Thanks, I’m not great at meeting new people I guess. And definitely not in settings like this.” 

He offered a knowing smile. “Well, you just met me, so I’d say you’re doing pretty good so far.”.

Shoot’s calm energy was making Killua feel more at ease.  
“Thanks,” he smiled earnestly before sipping the drink in his hand. He winced a little as the alcohol burned his mouth and throat.

“So Killua, tell me about yourself, what’s your major? What brought you here tonight?” he motioned to the small crowd of costume clad people dancing around them.

“I’m still undecided, Gon’s my roommate, he invited me. He’s pretty social, I think he knows just about everyone here. What about you?”

“I’m majoring in studio art and political science. I’m here tonight because Knuckle invited me, and he’s my boyfriend and we share this apartment, so I kinda had no choice.”  
He glanced across the room where Knuckle was laughing and singing loudly with a small group of his friends. He kept his eyes on him as he spoke.

“It can be kind of tough sometimes, being with someone who’s naturally so social and lively. I usually prefer to just chill, and keep to myself.” His lips pulled into a small smile. “But I do love seeing him in his prime. Laughing obnoxiously and dancing like an idiot.” 

Killua instinctually scanned the room for Gon, catching a glimpse of him in the middle of the room dancing with his head back and his eyes closed. He looked so happy. 

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” He sighed and sipped his drink. He must have made a face because Shoot chuckled. 

“Don’t drink much, do you?”

“Not really. I guess I just never saw the appeal in it.”

“Yeah, I don’t drink often either. It does help me loosen up enough to get through these things though. I hope it helps you out too.” 

“Thanks,” He smiled and looked down into his cup. Small talk was never really his forte, and where his mind was swirling with questions, most pertaining to Shoot’s mention of his boyfriend, he wasn’t sure if it was okay to just ask about things like that. He finished off his drink in a few burning gulps and tossed the cup into the trash. Gathering his courage, he continued the conversation. 

“So, uh, you mentioned you’re with Knuckle? How did that happen?” Welp. That wasn’t as eloquent as he’d been hoping for, but at least he tried, and Shoot didn’t seem bothered by the question. 

“We met our freshman year and were good friends for a while. I guess our relationship just sort of developed naturally. He’s a lovable goofball, it was pretty impossible to not fall for him.” His gaze shifted over to Killua. “What about you? Anyone special?”

Killua switched uncomfortably from foot to foot, wishing desperately that he hadn’t asked anything after all. “Uh, no, not really.”

“No one has caught your eye yet? Well, there’s plenty of people here to choose from. I’m sure you’ll meet someone you like eventually.” He raised an eyebrow. “Unless you’re aro? I’m sorry for assuming.”

“Aro?” he thought back to the GSA meeting and tried to remember what Aro was. “Oh! No, I’m not aromantic or anything. I just, well, it’s kind of complicated, and I’m really not sure about...uh, anything…” he trailed off, eyes focusing hard on the floor.

“Heh,” Shoot took a step closer and put his hand on Kilua’s shoulder. “Yeah, we’ve all been there. Don’t worry, you’ve got your whole life to figure stuff out, there’s no need to pick and stick with a label right now. Everything is fluid, and it’s okay to be where you are. Luckily, college is a pretty great place to get to know yourself, and what you want.” His smile was calm and comforting. 

“Yeah, thanks,” he felt heat rising up the back of his neck once again. “Uh, so, when--” he hesitated. He didn’t want to pry too much, or come off as a weirdo. But hey, he was already pretty mortified already, might as well keep going… and maybe the alcohol was giving him a little courage. He cleared his throat and started again. “H-how did you...know?” He gulped. “When did you realize…” 

“That I was queer?” 

Killua offered a shy smile in response.

“Well, I guess it was more of a gradual thing than an overnight realization. I learned more about the queer community and I found out what fit me based on what didn’t. Once I learned what gay was, I knew I wasn’t straight, and so on. It gave things in my life a little more context, made sense of some past experiences.”

Killua nodded his head, hanging onto Shoot’s every word. He was right. Killua didn’t know what he wanted to do, but he knew he didn’t want to be a lawyer. He didn’t know what he was yet, but he knew he wasn’t straight. Still, the process of elimination was hard. What else would he have to figure out the hard way? 

“When I felt comfortable enough acknowledging myself as queer, I felt a little more ‘me’. If I’ve learned anything from the journey so far, it’s that when you follow what feels right, you’ll figure yourself out along the way.”  
He sipped his drink.  
“So yeah, I’m queer, specifically panromantic and demisexual. But I like queer as an umbrella term.”  
He finished off his drink and tossed the cup in the trash. 

“Thanks for telling me all that. Sorry for the heavy questions, I know parties are supposed to be light and fun or whatever, I didn’t mean to make it weird...” His eyes were fixed on the floor and the back of his neck was burning.

“No problem, I like weird. You seem cool, Killua.” He slipped his hand into the pocket of his purple shorts and fished out his phone, then handed it to Killua with a smile.  
“Put your number in, we can meet up sometime. It’s a lot easier to hang out when there’s not so much chaos going on.” He motioned around the room.

Killua quickly entered his name and number and handed the phone back to Shoot. His own phone buzzed in his pocket a minute later. 

“I texted you so you’ve got my info too.” 

They chatted for a while longer, bouncing stories and jokes off of each other while they ate some of the halloween themed snacks that lined the table. Shoot was down to earth and funny, and Killua was really glad to have found such a chill new friend. Eventually, he left to help a giggling and red faced Knuckle with a costume malfunction, and Killua was on his own. 

He nibbled on a chocolate pumpkin as highlights of their conversation played back in his head. He was still embarrassed about how open he’d been with his own dumb sexuality, and how awkward his questions were. Shoot had been understanding and kind, and Killua was grateful, but that was a lot to process and talk about with a stranger at a party. 

“Ne, Killuaaaaa!” Seemingly out of nowhere, a rosy cheeked Gon sauntered over. “Are you having fuuuun, Killua?” He asked, a tipsy lilt to his voice. His mouth was set in a relaxed half smile, and his pupils were blown. He threw his arms around Killua and squeezed him, swaying a bit in the process. This was turning out to be a hell of a night. Killua hadn’t been prepared for that deep talk with Shoot, and he certainly wasn’t prepared for an encounter with a drunken Gon.

“Eh,” he shrugged, feigning nonchalance, “it’s not the worst party I’ve ever been to.” 

“It’s the best party ever! So many friends are here, and the punch is delicious!” A goofy smile stretched across his face and then slid into a devious grin.  
“You know what will make it even better? Dance with me Killua!”

“I don’t think so Gon.”

Gon stepped in closer, grabbed Killua’s hand and tugged it gently. “Please??” 

“Gon, I don’t really dance.” He was trying to remain calm, despite how Gon looked wriggling in excitement with a pleading pout on his face.

“But Killua, it’s a party, I wanna dance with you!” He started swaying his hips, then grabbed Killua’s hands and pulled him closer.  
“Just one dance, pleaseeeee!” 

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was Gon’s proximity and eagerness, either way, throwing caution to the wind, Killua gave in. “Fine. Let’s dance.”

Gon cheered and tugged on his hand again, and this time he allowed himself to be led to the center of the room.

As they pushed their way through groups of people to find an open spot to dance, Gon stole a few glances back at him, like he was making sure Killua was still following behind him, even though they were holding hands. He wanted to point this out, but the adorable grin that appeared on his face when their eyes met each time he looked over his shoulder was enough to keep him quiet. 

When they found a decent spot, the song playing was just coming to an end. Killua stood awkwardly, waiting for the next song to start up, Gon’s hand still warm around his own.  
The opening notes of a guitar curled through the air and Gon threw his head back in excitement. 

“I love this song!!!” Smiling from ear to ear, he squeezed Killua’s hand and then let go to wave his arms in the air as his hips moved to the beat. Killua gulped and tried his best to relax his body enough to dance like a normal person, and not an awkward robot. Gon’s movements were so loose and fluid, it was mesmerizing watching him move, and Killua had to close his eyes to keep from staring. He actually felt a bit more comfortable with his eyes closed, it took some of the pressure of his surroundings away, enough for him to calm down and just enjoy the music. 

Before he knew it he was fully enveloped in the song, his body moving naturally with the rhythm. He and Gon were close, occasionally brushing arms and bumping shoulders and hips. Killua’s eyes flew open when he felt a pair of arms loop around his shoulders. Gon was staring at him, eyes half lidded, the glow from the string lights reflected in deep golden pools. 

The song was drawing to a close and he pulled Killua in closer, swaying them back and forth as the drums faded out and gave way to the next song. The peel of an electric guitar picked up the pace of the dancing going on around them, Gon didn’t seem to notice. 

“You’re so pretty Killuaaaaa!” he chimed, a dopey smile spreading on his face. “I love dancing with you!” 

Killua’s cheeks burned instantly, he had no idea what to say and before he could think of anything, Gon was grabbing his hand and twirling him. He spun him out once, then twice before pulling him back in again. Then he spun himself a few times and fell back into Killua’s arms with just a little too much force. Killua was able to ground his footing just in time to avoid bumping into someone. Gon was giggling now, rocking his body to the music and still holding Killua’s hand. Killua’s mind was reeling. Drunk Gon seemed to have even less regard for personal space and social etiquette than sober Gon, which was something Killua supposed he shouldn’t be surprised by. 

Gon turned his back to Killua and started shaking his hips, moving backward slowly as he danced, closing the distance between them. What was he doing? Oh god-- was he about to grind on him? In a tizzy, Killua just swayed awkwardly from foot to foot, trying to figure out what to do with his hands when--

“Gon?” 

He heard a voice call out from somewhere in the room. Gon, however, was too busy dancing to notice. 

“Gon!” The voice yelled again, a little louder this time. Killua’s eyes scanned the room, trying to see where it was coming from. Gon was still dancing, oblivious. 

“Hey, Gon!” This time, he heard. 

“Eh?” He stood blinking, head quirked to the side in confusion, then suddenly, he took a few steps forward and his hand shot into the air and waved excitedly in front of him. Killua followed his line of sight. 

A familiar looking guy with short brown hair and thick eyebrows was making his way towards them, waving as he pushed through a group of particularly excited dancers. Stumbling a bit, he approached them with a huge smile on his face. 

“Gon! I thought that was you! Hi!” He was holding a drink in his hand and was dressed like a werewolf, his shirt ripped and fake mutton chops glued to both of his round cheeks. 

“Zushi!” Gon’s face lit up and he threw his arms around him in a clumsy hug. They both stumbled a bit, laughing. 

Killua stood awkwardly to the side as they complimented each other’s costumes and briefly caught up. He and Gon were about the same height, and Zushi stood a full head shorter than them. He was a little wobbly on his feet and the drink he was holding sloshed as he talked with his hands. 

“Yeah, Zepile invited me, he’s friends with Knuckle.” 

“Knuckle invited me, and of course I had to bring Killua!”

Finally, Gon turned to him. “Zushi, this is my roommate Killua! Killu, this is Zushi! We met in Mr. Wing’s philosophy class, he’s the one who told me about the GSA!” 

Oh! So that’s why he looked familiar, he was a part of the GSA. Wasn’t he one of the guys who told their coming out story? Killua, thankful for his years of training at parties, slid his best ‘act natural and be polite’ smile on and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Zushi.” 

“You too Killua!” His smile was wide and lopsided. “Can I join you guys?” He asked, starting to bob his head to the music.

“Of course! The more the merrier!”  
Giggling, Gon plucked the cup from his hand and sipped it. Zushi just laughed, sipping it himself when Gon passed it back. 

They started dancing, both giggly and clumsy from the alcohol. They were smiling and moving together, close and carefree, and Killua stood off to the side, feeling very out of place and hyper aware. The music was suddenly too loud, and the ocean of bodies dancing around them seemed to be closing in on him. He needed space.

“I’m gonna get some air.” Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and headed for the door. 

The October night air was thin and chilly, and Killua was desperately hoping it would help to clear his head. He sat on the cold stone steps in front of Knuckle’s front door, trying to calm his breathing as he looked out across the street. The streetlight cast a dull yellow glow onto the black asphalt, and the moon overhead was full and bright. He could still hear the dull thump of the music from inside, along with the scrape of crisp autumn leaves as the wind blew them across the sidewalk. 

After a while, he slowly started to calm down. He wasn’t entirely sure what caused him to feel so anxious and out of place to begin with. The party had been going well. He’d actually managed to let loose and dance, and he was having fun. But after Zushi approached them, he just started spiraling. What happened? 

He and Gon looked super chummy, their hug lingered and they touched while they danced.  
But what about that made Killua so upset? He and Gon were just friends, so him being with Zushi shouldn’t bother him.  
So why did it?  
Was he jealous? And what did it mean if he was? 

When he thought about it, Gon was like that with pretty much everyone. He was a naturally open and affectionate person. But where accepting that affection felt so foreign and difficult for Killua, it seemed to be very easy for Zushi. Gon deserved someone confident and self assured. Someone like Zushi. Someone very unlike himself. 

He sighed and his breath hung visibly in the air. He had goosebumps despite his jacket, and his fingers were starting to feel numb. Deciding it was time to call it a night, he stood and climbed the steps towards the house to let Gon know he was leaving. 

As he reached for the handle, the door swung open revealing a bushed looking Shoot. Zushi was standing behind him on his left side and Gon was standing on his right, his arm slung over his shoulder. 

Killua raised an eyebrow and Shoot chuckled.  
“They’ve both had a lot to drink. There’s room for one person to crash on the couch, so I’ve got this one” he motioned to Zushi, “ if you’ve got yours.”  
_Mine, huh?_ He sighed and stepped forward, Shoot ducked out from under Gon’s arm and nudged him towards Killua. He immediately threw his arm over Killua’s shoulders and leaned against him. 

“Thank you for helping me, Killuaaaa,” he whined, taking a wobbly step forward and tripping over his feet as he did.  
“Ah, Gon!” He stumbled back a bit, but steadied his feet quickly. Feeling brave, he looped an arm around Gon’s waist to help support him. He glanced up at Shoot who tilted his head and bid him a parting wave, a sly smile on his lips as he shuffled Zushi further into the apartment. 

The walk home was slow and chilly, and Killua thanked the universe when they finally stumbled in through the front door of their dorm.

Most of Gon’s costume ripped and fell off while he was dancing and on the trudge home, so Killua only had a few pieces of toilet paper to unravel before dumping Gon into his bed. His boots fell to the floor with a thump as Killua pried them off and tucked him in under his blanket. He grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge in the common room and put it on the windowsill next to Gon’s bed along with the bottle aspirin from their bathroom. 

Gon let out a loud yawn, his bed squeaked as he stretched his legs and wriggled into a comfy position. Killua took that at his cue to leave. Gon was safe and settled, and after a long night, his own bed was calling him.  
He was halfway through the door when he heard his name called out in the darkness behind him.

“Killua?”

He turned around. “Yes Gon?”

“Thanks for takin’ care of me.” His words were slow and a little slurred. 

“Don’t mention it, Gon.” He grumbled, heat rising in his cheeks. 

“Sweet dreams, Killuaaaa.” He murmured. 

“Sweet dreams, Gon.” 

The soft click of the door falling shut between them echoed in the quiet dark of his own room.


	5. Shut Up and Dance With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night of silly fun before the end of the semester!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! Sorry this one took a while, life is so hectic sometimes. I hope you enjoy! As a special treat, this chapter comes with a playlist! The notes at the end will have the link <3

It was a late autumn afternoon, a chilly wind sent leaves skipping across the pavement and shook the almost bare branches of the trees dotting the campus grounds. Another long day of classes had Gon walking home at the end of the day with tense shoulders and a slight headache. He was almost to his building when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was an email from mail services telling him that a package had arrived and was waiting for him. He checked the time and had about 15 minutes before mail services closed for the day, so he quickly changed direction and headed towards the administration building.

He made it in the nick of time and walked home with the package under his arm and an extra spring in his step, excited to see what goodies awaited him. When he finally made it into his dorm, Killua was sitting on the couch surrounded by open text books and papers. He was holding his phone to his ear with one hand and pinching the bridge of his nose with the other. 

“Yes mom, I did that already. Yes. Gotoh emailed me the flight information this morning. No, I haven’t yet. Just get off my back, okay?! I’m in college now, I’m not a little kid. Well I don’t care! Fine, whatever. Yeah, I’ll see you then. Bye.” He sighed and hung up. 

“Jesus, that woman really knows how to get under my skin. I swear it’s like she lives to make my life more annoying.” 

Gon walked over to the couch, gently pushing some papers aside so he could sit.  
“Everything okay?”

He cut his eyes to the side. “Yeah. Pretty sure she just wanted to be nosy and annoying, but making sure I had my shit together for winter break was a nice cover.”

Gon chuckled and shifted to get more comfortable, dropping his backpack to the floor and resting the package in his lap.

Killua scooped up some loose papers and closed the books in front of him, then stretched out on the couch. “What’s in the box?” 

Gon smiled, holding it in front of him like a prize. “It’s a care package from Aunt Mito!” He rested the box on the couch between them, peeling at the tape along the edges. 

It opened to reveal layers of tissue paper and an assortment of treats. Gon pulled out a card, tucked it into his backpack to read later, and then started unloading the rest of the box’s contents. “Let’s see, there’s some fruit snacks, some gummy worms, two mangoes, a pack of pens--thank goddess I really needed those!-- some herbal tea and hot chocolate packets, and oooh! Yes!!!” He cheered, pulling a large foil wrapped rectangle out. “A loaf of her homemade banana bread, it’s my favorite!” He placed it on the coffee table and gave it a reverent pat before pulling the last item from the box. “And here, this is for you!” 

Killua paused, his expression unreadable. “For... _me_?”

“Of course! She wouldn’t just send me a bunch of stuff and leave you out!” 

“But...why--I-I mean...how...” he trailed off, at a loss for words. 

Gon just laughed cheerily “Of course I told her all about you! You’re my best friend!” 

A blush spread across Killua’s cheeks. Gon smiled and handed him a small metal tin. It was blue--his favorite color--and his name was scrawled across the lid in loopy cursive with a heart next to it.

Curious, Gon watched as he pulled the lid off. Inside was a chocolate robot surrounded by a dozen homemade chocolate chip cookies. Killua blinked, his eyes grew wide.

Gon stared at him, a huge smile plastered on his face. “Those are her famous cookies! They’re the best, and she only makes them for special occasions. You’re very lucky!’ His lips pulled into a sneaky grin. “I’ll trade you some banana bread for a cookie!”

Killua looked up from the tin in his lap. “Not a chance, Gon.”

He pouted. “But Killuaaaa! Please?!” 

“Uh-uh. She made these special and delicious cookies just for me! I simply cannot share them.” He bit into one and groaned happily.

Gon grinned, yep, those were definitely Mito’s famous cookies. He was so happy Killua got to taste them, if a little jealous that Mito didn’t send any extra for him. Before he could argue and beg for even just a bite, his phone went off in his pocket. He fished it out and had a text from Kurapika. Oh! He almost forgot!

“Killua, get dressed, we gotta go!”

He managed a “Huh?” around a mouthful of cookie.

“I’ve got fun plans tonight, and you’re coming!” He started packing things back into the box.

Killua swallowed. “What? Gon, what are you talking about? I’ve got stuff to do-”

Gon stood and held a finger to his lips, shushing him. “The cookies can wait, Killua, there’s fun to be had! Plus, I’ve been wanting to finally introduce you to some of the friends I’ve been telling you about!”  
Killua stuffed another cookie into his mouth and crossed his arms. He locked eyes with Gon and put on his best poker face. Gon stared right back, unwavering. 

Killua sighed. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

Gon just giggled and skipped towards his room to get ready.

~~~~~~~~

The setting sun silhouetted the skyline of York New City, casting long shadows across the street. Killua shivered and wrapped his jacket tighter around his torso, the chill in the air raising goosebumps on his arms. They were walking down Main street, and though Gon assured him that they were almost to their destination, he still had no idea what that destination was. He opened his mouth to complain just as Gon came to a halt on the sidewalk.

“We’re here!”

Killua glanced up, _YNC Karaoke Bar_ glowed above them in red neon letters.

“Gon, you’re joking, right?”

“Nope! It’s gonna be so much fun!” Gon poked his tongue out, and pulled open the door. 

With a sigh, Killua followed him inside. The bar was not at all what he was expecting. There was no stage anywhere, just a long hallway with lots of doors on either side. The bar itself was pretty small, a few people were in line to order drinks, and some lingered in the space around it. Music thumped through the air, but it was muffled and unintelligible. The walls were lined with old license plates and tall red lamps stood in every corner. 

Gon looked around for a moment and then his face lit up. “Kurapika!” He waved and made a beeline for the bar. Killua followed behind, watching as a man with shoulder length blonde hair waved in their direction. 

Gon skipped up to him and gave him a quick hug. The man, Kurapika, looked a little surprised by the contact, but smiled nonetheless. Gon was beaming. “Kurapika, this is my roommate Killua! Killua, this is my lab partner Kurapika!” He motioned between the two of them as he spoke, and Kurapika offered a hand which Killua shook. 

“Nice to meet you Killua, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Killua felt heat rise in his cheeks, but he managed a smile. “Likewise.”

Gon looked around the room again. “Where’s Leorio?”  
Kurapika motioned over his shoulder towards the bar. “He went to get some drinks from the b-”

“Oi! Gon!!” A loud voice bellowed from across the room, and a tall man with dark hair and glasses greeted them shortly after. 

“Leorio!” Gon launched forward into a hug, almost spilling the drinks in Leorio’s hands. 

Leorio just chucked. “It’s good to see you too! And who’s this?” He asked, voice still booming despite their proximity. He motioned to Killua. “Is this the one you talk about all the time? Killua, is it? It’s nice to finally meet you!”

Killua awkwardly rubbed at the back of his neck. “Yeah, that’s me. Nice to meet you too.” 

Gon was smiling like an idiot. “Killua, this is Leorio, Kurapika’s roommate!”

Kurapika’s side eye was sharp when he said “Yeah, I _had_ a room to myself until someone got kicked out of their own dorm.”

Leorio laughed boisterously, sipping one of the drinks he was holding. “I didn’t get kicked out, I chose to leave for my own sanity, and the safety of my former roommate.”

Killua quirked an eyebrow. 

Kurapika rolled his eyes. “He punched his old roommate in the face, and the dean said he had to find a place off campus because all of the dorm rooms were full. Unfortunately, I had previously made the mistake of mentioning to Leorio that I managed to score a room to myself for the year.”

“It’s not my fault! Tonpa is an asshole, and needed to be put in his place!”

“Yes, and being the divine bringer of justice that you are, you sacrificed your own housing to do so.”

Leorio stuck his chin up, “I regret nothing.”

Kurapika sighed and rolled his eyes, Gon just chuckled. 

“So,” Killua started, shifting from foot to foot, “how do we, uh… what is this place?”

“Ah, yes!” Leorio handed a drink to Kurapika and motioned to the long hallway behind them. “Our room is reserved and our time slot starts in,” he glanced at the watch on his wrist, “shit, right now! Let’s go!”

They headed down the hallway and stopped at a door midway down on the left. It opened to reveal a dimly lit room with an L shaped leather couch against the wall. Circles of rainbow colored lights shone on the walls and reflected in the disco ball turning slowly overhead. A karaoke machine was set up on a tiny stage in the front of the room, and tv screens hung in both corners over it. When they stepped inside a server showed up and greeted them. She handed them menus and showed them how to operate the karaoke machine. 

She left briefly and returned with sodas for Gon and Killua and some cheese fries for everyone, and then they were left alone to sing their hearts out. Well, Leorio and Gon sang their hearts out. Killua mostly laughed and recorded their performances while Kurapika heckled their dance moves. After a particularly rousing rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody, they both flopped onto the couch, exhausted. 

Leorio chugged the rest of his drink. “Kurapika! I’m going to order another vodka cranberry, and then you’re gonna sing with me!” 

“Absolutely not, Leorio. Unlike you, I refuse to make a fool of myself.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll just keep buying you drinks until your ass is drunk enough to sing something.” Leorio teased and then poked his head out of the door to flag down their server. 

Sure enough, a few drinks later and Kurapika was standing up, mic in hand and singing.

“I got guns in my head and they won't go. Spirits in my head and they won't go...”

After a dramatic performance that Kurapika would later deny ever happened, he had a seat and switched to water for the rest of the night. 

Gon was midway through his performance of Wannabe by the Spice Girls, when he locked eyes with Killua who had been quietly singing along from his spot on the couch. _Shit._

When the song wrapped, Gon walked up to him and grabbed his hands, trying to pull him up off the couch.

“Come sing with me Killua! I saw you singing along, you know you wanna try it!” 

Gon hadn’t been drinking, but he was still so excited and silly, the energy of the room and the songs clearly had him riled up. 

“Come on Killua!” Leorio urged. “If Kurapika can do it you sure as hell can!” He started chanting. “Kil-lu-ah! Kil-lu-ah! Kil-lu-ah!” Gon immediately joined in, but it wasn’t until even Kurapika joined the rally that he finally gave in. 

Killua sighed. “Ugh, fine! I’ll sing a damn song with you. But only one, and no recording you bastards!” He looked pointedly at Kurapika who was already aiming his phone at the stage. 

Kurapika chuckled and tucked his phone back into his pocket, meanwhile Gon was already back at the karaoke machine picking the song they would sing. 

“Nothing cheesy Gon, I mean it!”

He laughed. “Just trust me Killua!”

The karaoke machine counted down from 5 and Gon quickly pulled Killua to his feet and up onto the stage. 

An upbeat riff played through the speakers and Gon took the first few lines while gazing directly into Killua’s eyes.

“Oh don’t you dare look back, just keep your eyes on me. I said you’re holding back, she said shut up and dance with me! This woman is my destiny, she said oh oh oh, shut up and dance with me!” 

Killua recognized the song immediately and sang the next few lines, letting the music drown out his nerves. 

“We were victims of the night. The chemical, physical, kryptonite. Helpless to the bass and the fading light, oh we were bound to get together, bound to get together!” 

They continued singing in earnest, jumping around to the beat and dancing together. As weird as it was to admit, Killua was actually having a great time. The room seemed to melt away and Gon kept grabbing his hands and pulling him in closer. The song was obviously a man singing to a woman, but the pronouns didn’t seem to matter to Gon as he serenaded Killua.

When the song came to a close Gon wrapped him in a hug as Leorio and Kurapika stood and cheered. They stepped off the stage and they all took their seats on the couch. 

“That was awesome you two! Hell yeah Killua! I’m glad you joined. Now that I’ve seen what you can do, you’ll never get away without singing! You either Kurapika!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Leorio. I’ve never sung a song at karaoke in my life. Nor will I ever.”

“Bullshit! If you think I’m letting this go you’ve got another thing coming! Gon as my witness!”

“We all saw you Kurapika, I’m pretty sure there’s even photo evidence…” Gon teased.

“What?! Destroy it!”

As their conversation dissolved into silly bickering, Killua just watched with a smile on his face. It was a surreal feeling, being welcomed by them all with open arms, and he was already so comfortable with them. It felt so...natural. Was this what true friendship felt like? 

College was seriously amazing so far. With a little space and freedom he’d found out more about himself, and now he’d found people that he could actually be himself around. It was a whole new world, so different from the one he’d known before. Was it real? Would it last? Could he really make his own way, be his own person and live his own life? And was this what that life could be like? Full of people that cared for him and made him feel happy and at peace? First the care package from Mito and now this? Looking around, it was like he was in a perfect bubble. 

And in two weeks, that bubble would burst, and he’d be back home, surrounded by his family. His real family who somehow felt a lot less like a family than the people he currently shared a couch with. 

Leorio raised his glass and called for a toast, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“To good beer, good friends, and a good life!” He declared, cheeks flushed from the alcohol. They all raised their glasses and toasted, Gon was giggling as if he were tipsy from his virgin shirley temple.

Kurapika smiled. “This was a great last hoorah before finals.”

Killua nodded in agreement, “Yeah I definitely needed this to help get me through all the boring reading.” 

“Finals?” Gon chirped, a confused look on his face.  
Killua quirked an eyebrow, “Yeah? They're starting next week?” Had he really forgotten about finals?

“Wait, WHAT?” He gripped the edge of the table. “I thought they were in two weeks!” 

Kurapika sipped his water, “No, two weeks is when Winter break begins. We’ve got finals coming this Monday and then break starts the weekend after next.”

Gon was flabbergasted. “B-but--”

Killua snorted. “Why did you think I’ve been surrounded by piles of books and notes in the common room all week?”

Gon was starting to look pale, his eyes were darting between the three of them like he was desperately looking for something and he couldn’t find it. 

“I haven’t started studying at all yet! I can’t believe I didn’t realize--wait, what day is today??”

“It’s Friday, Gon.” Killua said, trying to keep his tone neutral so he wouldn’t laugh. Gon was practically vibrating beside him.

“Oh shit! Oh _shit!_ Oh no, I’m totally fucked!” He tugged at his hair, eyes wide. 

Killua had never heard Gon swear so much, even Kurapika was hiding a surprised smile.

Leorio took a large gulp of his drink and puffed his chest out. “It’ll be okay Gon, don’t worry! You have all weekend to prepare, you’re a smart guy, I’m sure you’ll be fine!” 

Gon didn’t respond, he just stared into the middle distance, mouth set in a tight line. Killua could almost see the gears turning in his brain. 

He stood suddenly. “I gotta go.”

Leorio tried to intervene, “Gon, it’s late! You can start in the morning with a fresh mind--”

“I can’t waste anymore time! I’ve gotta go!” His expression was a mix of panic and determination. 

He nudged Killua’s shoulder and he stood to let him pass.

They all watched as he scrambled out the door without another word. 

“Welp,” Killua raised his soda again, “to Gon! Godspeed!”

“To Gon!” their glasses clinked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Here's a playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/12FcxDD3BaILW1x5O3xc9A?si=oVF4EeX5SW6zHHDsV2xgyA) of all the songs they sang at karaoke! <3


End file.
